FRENEMIES

Trump Delivers Rare Rebuke of Putin: ‘Destroying Russia’

Trump trashed Putin by issuing some of the most critical comments he’s ever made about Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made positive remarks about Donald Trump’s election victory after his inauguration, saying he had “courage” and clinched a “convincing victory.”

President Trump failed to reciprocate those remarks, lambasting Putin in an unprecedented show of disapproval.

The New York Times reports that on Monday, Trump commented on the war in Ukraine, saying Putin is “destroying Russia [by wagging the war]... he’s not doing so well... that’s no way to run a country.”

Trump has emphasized Russia’s losses during the war as a reason Putin may be eager to sit down at the negotiating table. Russia had lost around 300,000 troops by April 2023 and currently suffers about 1,000 troop casualties or injuries a day.

Despite these remarks, Trump recently assured the world that he wants to discuss ending the war with Putin, also saying on Monday that he may speak with him “very soon.”

Putin’s foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, said, “If the relevant signals come in from Washington,” the Kremlin would engage in talks to end the war in Ukraine.

Despite the recent comments, Putin has expressed strong interest in speaking with Trump about ending the war, saying he wants the U.S. to “restore direct contacts with Russia.”

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Joey McFaddenBreaking News Intern

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